TINY twins who were born 15 weeks early are almost ready to come home from hospital.

Yasmin and Olivia Allwright have spent 100 days in hospital, after being born just 24 weeks into their mum’s pregnancy.

Statistics suggest babies born so early have a roughly 50 per cent survival rate.

The twins, each born weighing about the same as a bag of sugar, were initially cared for at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

After nine weeks, they moved a little closer to home, to the special care baby unit at Colchester General Hospital.

Both were born with a heart condition which showed up during a scan at the Norfolk hospital. Olivia’s condition has healed but Yasmin may need further treatment.

Mum, Michelle Allwright, 37, of Old Parsonage Way, Frinton, says she can’t wait to have her daughters home.

She said: “We’re hoping they’ll be coming home on Monday. I’m so excited. I’ve been getting everything ready and getting the oxygen set up, because Yasmin still needs that a little bit.

“My stepson, Ryan, is really looking forward to the girls coming home.

“We’re having a few family members round for a little party.

“I think my mum is even making some banners.”

The girls’ heart problem was picked up, using a scanner like the one for which Colchester General Hospital launched a £60,000 fundraising drive in May.

As a result, Michelle and husband, Richard, are right behind the local hospital’s appeal Michelle explained: “Because they were premature, they’ve had a few hiccoughs along the way, but basically, they’re both healthy now.

“The scan at Norfolk showed both had a flap of skin near their hearts, which is supposed to direct the blood around the body.

“If you’re born at full term, the flap is closed. Olivia’s has closed, but Yasmin’s hasn’t yet.”

The babies’ condition, persistent ductus arteriosus, is initially treated with drugs, but if the duct of skin still does not close, surgery is required.

Dr Maerouf Malik, associate specialist paediatrician at the unit, said: “It’s a very simple procedure because the duct isn’t inside the heart, so we can just sew it up.”

Michelle said the babies had had to stay longer in Norwich, so Yasmin could have further scans, because Colchester’s baby unit lacked a dedicated heart scanner.

She said: “In Norfolk, the scanner is there all the time, so she was being checked every couple of days. At Colchester, it’s a case of trying to get the doctor and the equipment together at the same time. That’s why they need a scanner of their own.

“Luckily for our girls, the condition wasn’t life-threatening, but it could be a different situation for another baby.

“It would be great if the unit had a scanner for the times when there’s an emergency.”